


A Very Wicked Christmas

by WatchOverYourAssButt



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Christmas fic, M/M, Other, christmas ship fic, established-ish, gift for a best friend!, some fun with Destiel and Sabriel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-20 08:37:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13142979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WatchOverYourAssButt/pseuds/WatchOverYourAssButt
Summary: Christmas is coming, and the Winchester's and Castiel intend on having a good one, finally, with some tradition and happiness. Only for a secret source to nudge them towards a case. Question is, will they make it home for the holiday, and just what will they face and learn on the hunt until then?





	A Very Wicked Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> \- Horrible summary, but I suck at those things. For Dashie, my Dean, I wish you a happy holiday, a merry christmas, and I hope you enjoy this present! Love you! <3

 

 

“Come on, Cas, it’ll be hilarious. It’s a compliment, what’s the problem!?” Dean Winchester was questioning his friend, his angel, and his…well, they didn’t really try to define it anymore after so many years of hurt, toil, monsters, mess ups, mistakes, and losses. The only degree to which they defined what they were, was… Well, finally.

Dean was followed the angel at the moment, out of the hall and towards the library and the tables set by them, where Sam had been eating on his burger for the past few minutes, the other two burgers and fries still in the bag awaiting the two arriving. Castiel, however, sat down with a very exasperated look.

“You, telling me it’s a compliment, but also humorous enough to be “hilarious”,” there were air-quotes, “leads me to believe it’s not as much of a compliment as you’re trying to make it out to be. What’s wrong with a star? Isn’t that still traditional?”

“Yeah, but…that’s boring, seriously. It’s not like I’m asking you to actually SIT ON TOP—” Dean had plopped down at this point right beside Castiel, facing him in his chair as Castiel interrupted him.

“Yet…yet,” Castiel held up a singular finger, his well-aged sass showing up on his tone and look (something Dean was extremely fond and proud of unless it was directed seriously at himself), “if I could manage to get on top of the tree, I believe you’d be asking me for THAT right now instead.”

Dean hesitated, seeming to consider that truth and he almost shrugged and nodded, before stopping himself, waving off Castiel’s accusation. “That’s beside the point. Come on. This is just a small little thing, you should take it as flattery, and it’s gonna make the Christmas tree epic. You said you were gonna help us make this Christmas awesome.”

“I don’t see how THIS would make it awesome.”

Sam took a deep breath, and then let it out as slowly as he took it in. He shook his head, putting his burger down as he wondered if he was going to regret this. He accepted, he WELCOMED, the point these two had gotten to. Hell, he was thankful, and part of the selection of people preview to this knowledge that shared the ‘finally’ thought on the whole thing that was Castiel and Dean. But god, it was like their abilities to be childish, and headache inducing, had grown with their closeness.

Sitting up, he wiped his mouth, and finally asked. “…What, exactly, is THIS? And Dean, why are you harassing Cas over it?”

Castiel sighed, shaking his head, and leaving it to Dean to describe as he himself pinched the bridge of his nose.

Dean rolled his eyes at Castiel’s exasperation, before turning to Sam with intent to convince his brother (it showed in the use of his hands as he spoke). “Okay, look. We all agreed we’re doing Christmas, because damn it; stupid, pointless holiday or not, we ALL deserve some stupid presents, some old songs, some classic movies, and some good food. We deserve a break, too.”

Sam nodded along, obviously agreeing, as they’d all went over this one drunken night, and then went back over it the next morning, concreting the decision. It was something they all obviously wanted to do.

“And we’re gonna do all the shit that’s worth it to do. No wreaths, sure, but a few lights ain’t hurtin’ anybody. Eggnog (and I’ll be making it this time), killer. Whether we fix the meal or order it from that awesome southern buffet place twenty minutes away, who cares. And we don’t have to get a lot of presents. But come on, a trees a nice, good, traditional idea, right?” Dean urged. This was when that young boy who never had the chance to be a kid came out in his older brother, and whether or not Sam saw it as as important (which in this situation he actually did), he would just go along with it. So he nodded, and Dean kept on. “Right. SO. I wanna do the tree up right. Bought ornaments, thought we could make a few, too, if…you know…we’re up for it…” he shrugged, but kept on, “Anyways… One of the things I was WANTING to make…was an angel topper for the tree.”

Sam was slowly nodding, out of habit, but he stopped then, catching Castiel’s eyes casting upward to the ceiling, and realizing what was going on here. And now, he was trying not to laugh.

“I thought it’d be funny, but COOL,” he emphasized, “to make something that looked like Cas, and have him on top of the tree. Really make it authentic! But Cas won’t let me.”

Sam shook his head, running a hand over his face.

“I’m sorry I don’t want some small form of me, with the tip of a tree up its behind, it’s just…weird, Dean.” Castiel shrugged and shifted. “Why don’t you do something that’s all of us, rather than just me?”

“Because, it’s supposed to be an angel, and, we may be VESSELS for some, but me and Sam aren’t angels! Come on, Cas, it’s not as embarrassing as you think! It’s kind of an honor, if you think about it. The tree is a symbol for us, it’s really important, and you’d be topping it off!” Dean nudged Castiel’s shoulder, before gripping it, quirking his head. “It’d be cute, come on. Please, Cas? I’ll hand make it. It’ll be from the heart.”

Castiel’s eyes flitted back and forth, at the table, and to Dean, and then back. He shifted in his seat, but he didn’t shrug off Dean’s hand. “….Dean…”

“I’ll let you make a mini me.” Dean teased, getting a goofy grin on his face.

Castiel sighed, shaking his head, and then laughing. “…I’ll think about it.”

Dean clapped him on the shoulder, apparently taking that as him practically winning. He moved to peck Castiel’s cheek, and Castiel caught him last second for a fleeting kiss before Dean went and grabbed the bag with their food, winking to his brother. “Just gotta know how to work’em.”

Sam laughed and nodded. “Yeah. Good job Dean, you convinced your boyfriend to let you make a mini him. You know, afterwards, you can take your two mini selves and pretend they’re kissing.”

Dean threw some of his fries at his brother, before taking their food back to Castiel, the two of them unloading the bag and chowing down together, on the same orders.

Sam opened his laptop as he finished his food, apart from three fries he picked off his shirt. “Well, when you two are done… Just a heads up, I…uh, may have got a job.” Sam told them, shifting, and seeming to click into a few things until finding the page he was looking for.

Dean sighed, a weird noise because his mouth was full of food. “Come on, dude—lunchtime.”

“My lunchtime passed. Not my probably you two got here late.” He laughed. “Besides, I got word…I mean wind of this, and it seems like it might be worth checking out.” Sam told them, turning the laptop around for the other two to look at when they had the chance.

Dean sighed, but scooted closer as Castiel leaned in, Dean practically leaning on Castiel. They read together, and seem to catch on around the same time.

“Kidnappings, one kill…. I don’t know, Sam, may not be our thing.” Dean tried to reason, Castiel nodding but reading further.

“Yeah, but I dug a bit deeper, and the kid that died? And the kids missing? They had a little club….apparently they’re all either descendants of, or are practicing witches… Each of them had some connection. Some people are replying online to the reports saying they deserved this and crap. Look, I know witches can be sceevy, but we’ve come across enough supernatural beings to know they’re not all bad… The kid that died was sixteen. The ones missing are…from thirteen to sixteen. And their records, from what I could check out online, aren’t bad. I think…it’s something we should check out. We save people….these are still people…”

Dean sighed, sitting back, and deciding to munch on his burger in thought instead of immediately answering. Castiel, though, seemed to be considering it, halting his eating (not that he really needed to eat anyways, but…it was burgers). The angel then nodded.

“…I think we should check it out, too.” Castiel reasoned, and then looked to Dean.

Dean took a breath through his nose, and sighed back out, munching away, before swallowing…and then he nodded, too. “Alright…fine… You’re right, it ain’t right to sit by and let those other kids get killed… Whatever this is, we’ll figure it out. What about parents, though? You said some were descendants…”

Sam shrugged. “Half of them gave the kids up, or have been killed. Most the kids are orphans. Another reason they made a club, I think. Least, that’s what the newspaper entry says.”

Dean sighed again, shaking his head. “Alright…yeah, let’s do this. Just…yeah, fuck it. My appetite’s gone, I’ll save this for later.” He muttered, wrapping his food back up and putting it in the bag, doing the same with Castiel’s, who made a look like ‘Excuse you’ before letting it go.

Sam just shut his laptop, and put it away in a bag he had already at the ready, whipping out his phone to type away something, before joining Castiel and Dean in getting things together to go.

 

 

They arrived just outside Kansas, having changed into suits halfway there (all Castiel had to do was stow the trench coat in the back seat), and they made their way straight for the local precinct, to get their answers. Other than telling them they had another agent that brought them on the case, a valuable lead (which made Dean very confused but he let it go, assuming Sam was pulling shit out of his ass), and working on how much judgment and understanding to show when it came to the kids and their backgrounds, it wasn’t too much of a problem getting what they needed. Cards were given, and promises of helping them crack that case were left, as the three of them returned to the Impala to look over the paperwork and discuss what they’d learned.

“So…all they could find at the scenes of kidnapping, and around the dead kids body when they found him…was birch wood twigs, some of them scorched, and  what looked like a lot of soot and ashes as if someone…shuffled around with it?” Sam assessed, both brothers looking quite confused.

“Yeah. The kid that bit it? He apparently was mostly malnurtured through the span of his kidnapping, but they were saying he was really dehydrated as well, possible heatstroke…definitely a few burns. Final nail in the coffin, though…birch wood stake, through the back…” Dean sighed, shaking his head, shuffling the papers around in disgust. “Fucking messed up, man… I mean…witch or not…fucking sixteen! Kids life was just starting.”

Sam nodded, also looking very disturbed. Castiel was sifting through information and backgrounds on the kids that were still missing.

“Alright…obviously our thing, since these kids disappeared with no sign… And you saw those crime scene photos. Those guys on the case just think these kids were summoning something, trying to be freaky, but that was some mojo for dispelling shit, wasn’t it? That was protection…and they all were doing something… I think they knew something was coming, something supernatural, and they were scared…” Dean reasoned.

Sam nodded. “Yeah, that’s what I was thinking, too. We just need to check out the crime scenes first hand…see what we can see.”

Dean nodded, but then he got a look on his face. “…Do you actually have a reliable source, some ‘other agent’ on this with us though, Sam?” he glanced to his brother, and Castiel looked up, too.

“What…? N-no..” Sam shook it off, not doing a good job of not seeming suspect.

“How’d you know it’d be OUR kinda case? We got way more info in these reports, then in that news report… Come on, was it some witch? One of the kids?” Dean asked.

“No, no, nothing… It’s nothing like that.” Sam denied. “Look, I just…looked into things, is all.”

“Seriously, Sam? You ‘looked into things’? What the hell is that code for, huh?”

“Code for, he was told by a handsome golden birdy, that’s what.”

The new voice right behind Dean caused him to NEARLY swerve off the road, but he steadied himself on the road, before pulling over on the side of the road, before turning, glimpsing Sam looking like he was wincing, Castiel looking confused and slightly shocked, and then a whiskey amber-eyed jackass smirking to him from the back seat beside Castiel.

“Hey there, big boy.” He remarked smugly, leaning back and looking rather comfortable in Dean’s back seat. “Miss me?”

Dean growled, and took to swinging back at the suddenly-present archangel, only for him to no longer be present, making Dean look rather silly curled over the back of his seat with his fist against the leather beside Castiel. “What the fu—”

“Dean, just hold on a second.” Sam suddenly chimed in to reason with him.

“Hold on, my ass, Sam!” Dean retorted, finding that the archangel was now suddenly outside the car, on the edge of the road, arms crossed and looking exasperated yet amused. Dean stormed out of the car, Sam and Castiel both hurried out, and both spouting some sort of words of hesitation or reasoning, but he wasn’t listening. He stormed up to the smug little shit, looking on the verge of throwing another punch, but remembering his angelic status, he was for once reconsidering how smart that would actually be. He did point a firm finger at him, though, that bordered on pressing into his chest. “What the hell, Gabriel!?”

“What specific hell are you referring to?” Gabriel asked, still sounding amused, which didn’t help Dean’s attitude.

“What do you think?! How the hell are you here; how the fuck did you survive, WHY the hell are you here… What the hell!?!”

“Oh, that what the hell.” Gabriel nodded thoughtfully as Sam and Castiel were now at Dean’s side, Castiel’s hand on Dean’s shoulder reassuringly, and Sam seemed to stand to face both Dean and Gabriel, which had him settled almost between the two. Gabriel’s gaze flickered to Sam, then to Cas, then to Sam, then back to Dean before he answered. “I snuck past Lucifer, he didn’t realize the last trick I had. I lied lower than ever after that, just trying to figure shit out, and avoid trouble. Probably selfish, but sue me, I almost died.”

Dean looked like he was fuming, and was only held back by Castiel’s touch at this point. Sam, however, seemed restless, looking between the two of them.

“And as to why I’m HERE,” he pointed to the ground, and his gaze flitted to Sam again, before looking to Dean and shrugging, crossing his arms again. “Thought I could be useful.”

Dean scoffed. “Who says we need you? We’ve handled hunts for years, and never with YOUR help.”

“You seem to forget, I helped you get out of the Godly Buffet.” Gabriel challenged, Sam sighing off to the side.

“Yeah, but after the shit you put us through in TV Land, I kinda think you owed us. And, I don’t know, for KILLING me a million times?!” Dean retorted, obviously still holding on to that.

Gabriel sighed, rolling his eyes. “It was just barely near the two hundreds, don’t exaggerate if you’re gonna accuse me.”

Dean’s nostrils flared and he took a step forward, and that’s when Sam came forward and put a hand on his other shoulder, trying to stop him and seeming like he had…more than a reason to doing so beyond just trying to protect his brother.

“Come on, Dean… We’ve worked with CROWLEY, Gabriel has a little less vindictive on his plate that him, right?”

Dean looked incredious, but Gabriel looked a little offended.

“Seriously? You’re comparing me to Crowley, Moosey?” Gabriel raised a brow.

Sam gave him an impatient bitch face. “You DID kill him multiple times, Gabriel, even I still hold that against you.”

As Gabriel sighed, Dean looked to Sam, knocking his hand away. “….Sam, what the hell? You’re…you’ve been hiding something, and now you’re talking to this dick like you’ve already known he was back….”

Sam hesitated in responding at first, which told Dean he was right. “…Look, Dean—”

“Is he your lead? Is Gabriel the reason we’re here? How do you know this isn’t some stupid illusion, too?” Dean questioned.

“Dean, it’s not like that, and yes, he is my lead, but just… You gotta be patient, and listen…” Sam stated, putting his hands up.

Castiel chimed in then, though, briefly. “Sam’s right…it’s not an illusion, I would’ve been able to detect it by now…and I’ve known about Gabriel being alive for a while now.”

Dean turned on him. “…Cas, what the hell?”

“I knew he was alive, and out there. That’s all I know. He hasn’t been doing much since surviving Lucifer’s attack, not causing any real problems, so I didn’t see a point in outing him.” Castiel explained firmly, causing Dean to sigh in irritation, but he withheld more annoying.

“Outing—nice way of putting it, bro.” Gabriel chuckled.

“Gabriel.” Sam said in a warning tone, and Gabriel shrugged, and Dean looked between them in confusion, before he took a step back.

“….You have GOT to be SHITTING me.” Dean remarked, pointing at the two of them, as Sam and Gabriel soon looked to Dean. Gabriel seemed amused, and Sam looked stressed and exasperated.

“Dean, let’s not do this right now. We have a crime scene to check out, and kids to save, don’t we?” Sam reminded him, heading for the car.

“Oho…Ohhooo, you think you’re getting off easy but you’re not.” Dean grumbled, and if it wasn’t for kid’s at risk of death any second, he would have stood his ground, but he went back to the driver’s seat, just catching the archangel going for the back seat with Castiel. “Nah-ah-ah!”

Gabriel stopped, and gave him a look. “Seriously? I give you this case, and this is how you’re going to treat me?”

Dean’s mouth twitched in annoyance, looking like an attitudinal growl, but he took a breath and sighed. “You got wings. Use’em.”

“Dean-” Sam complained.

“DON’T Dean me, you’re….whatever the hell’ing with this dick!” Dean waved a hand at Gabriel.

“Lot more than ‘whatever the hell’ing’…” Gabriel retorted, shutting the door.

“NO. Not listening. Just get your feathery ass there.” Dean retorted, slamming his door and expecting Castiel and Sam to climb in, as he took off then for the crime scene.

 

 

The ride, of course, was tense. Sam tried to speak up now and again, but Dean wouldn’t let him say anything. And when Dean would try to ask anything, he’d say ‘nevermind, I don’t want to know’.

When they arrived to the location, which was an old home the oldest child, who had been killed, had somewhat owned (it was abandoned but they’d managed to take it over and sneak in and out of it where no one in the neighborhood would catch on that they were living alone there), it was tapped up still. Apparently, the only reason anyone found it was because there was a fire out in the back yard, that led to signs of struggles back into the house. There, the locals found what they deemed ‘satanic summoning crap that shouldn’t be fooled with’.

Sam, Dean, and Castiel moved past the tape easily enough, trudging through and looking for anything out of the ordinary. Each of them had flash lights, bags for anything that might be worth grabbing and studying, and they split up through the place.

Dean was just wandering through the living room, where the rituals for protective and warding spells were still left about, getting a little irritated over having only a singular orb of light he had to keep casting around the entire room. “Think the authorities around here would’ve left the place with SOME power or something…” he grumbled, only to hear a snap, and suddenly, the entire house was lit. His eyes stung from the sudden change, and he rubbed his eyes, before looking around the dark brown and black adorned room, to find Gabriel leaning against the door frame.

“You’re welcome.”

“I didn’t say thank you.” Dean retorted.

“Oh, I have ears, I know.” Gabriel stated, not looking bothered anymore by Dean’s anger, as he looked around the room.

“…Why the hell are you even around my brother Gabriel? Don’t you have better, more entertaining things to do than to hang out with some hunter who could easily turn on you if he didn’t like something you were doing? Someone who’s job is hunting down shit 24/7?” Dean tried to challenge, turning off his flashlight as he heard footsteps coming (obviously Castiel and Sam coming to find the source of sudden power and light).

Gabriel just stated at Dean for a moment, shoving his hands in his pockets. He looked tired. Older, though that was impossible, could only be in how he held himself. His hair was just a bit shorter than when they’d seen him before his death. And that amused twinkle in his eye wasn’t flickering as much. Eventually, he took a breath and sighed. “Let me just put it this way…. You and Cassie aren’t the only angel and hunter in this world that, against everything, somehow found a kindred nature….and something to trust…and maybe something to care for. You might see it as fucked up, and I don’t have the energy to change that, if I even had the ability. But what you don’t want Sam to tell you, is that this has been going for months. And we’ve been through as many fights and make ups as you and Castiel in those months, most of it HAVING to do with you, or how I fucked up, or either of our self-worth. And the reason you only NOW know anything, is because Sam was terrified of what you’d think, and do, if you found out. And I really didn’t want to risk losing what I’d found with Sam, so I was patient.”

Dean scoffed, finding it hard to take ALL of this in, mostly defiant of it all, though there was something relatable in how Gabriel spoke. He did respond, though. “Yeah, then why come out now if you’re so patient?”

Gabriel shrugged. “Christmas. You were on your own for a few years before getting Sam back, Dean. I’ve been alone for centuries. So maybe I’d like to try spending SOME part of a holiday with Sam…and Castiel, too.”

Dean just sighed, shaking his head. Was he expecting to intrude on THEIR holiday? Hell no. Dean wanted this to be a FAMILY thing. He wanted it to be those he trusted, and loved. He wanted it to be good. He couldn’t trust he’d have any of that, with Gabriel around. But he wasn’t going to waste time spewing that. At least not right now. Instead, he was back to observing the scene.

Castiel and Sam arrived around the same time, Sam hesitated and looking between his brother and, apparently, possible boyfriend. Castiel went straight for Dean, though. The both of them seemed to assess Gabriel was the source of light.

“There wasn’t much other than paint marking warding down in the basement.” Castiel told Dean, looking to his brother as Dean was preoccupied. “Thank you, by the way, for the light.”

Gabriel just nodded, just faintly smiling to his brother.

“Other than signs of each kid having been staying here, doesn’t seem like there was much sign of anything happening up there involving whatever took them.” Sam assessed. “Might be worth it to check out their rooms, see if we can…learning anything from that? Maybe something about what these kids knew, and did, got involved with. Whatever took them, they may not have invited on themselves on purpose, but they didn’t have any guidance…they could have accidentally called something…” Sam reasoned. He shivered lightly.

Gabriel snapped his finger, and suddenly the fireplace Dean was closest to roared to life, making him yelp and jump. He snapped a glare at Gabriel who held up his hands, trying not to laugh. “It’s getting chilly in here.”

Sam sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

Dean glared a moment longer, before ducking down near one of the alters, and noticing a clump of something. He picked it up and observed it. It was black and hard, like a rock, but not… Confused, he turned to the others. “…Coal?”

Sam came over, kneeling down by his brother and observing it. “…Uh…yeah, I…think it is…” he looked to the fire place. “…But that things’ barely been used, and it uses firewood, why would there be coal…?”

Gabriel wandered the room, whistling some obscure Christmas tune as he went.

Castiel looked around, notice smaller bits of coal, picking it up, and noticing soot and ash marks across the floor. “Dean…Sam…?”

The brother snapped up their heads and stood at the same time.

“They said the struggle led outside…correct…?” Castiel muttered, brow furrowed as he wandered down the hall without another word.

Dean hesitated. “…Yes? Care to finish the thought, babe?” he called sarcastically, before following after him with a sigh, Sam following with Gabriel right behind him, still whistling.

As they followed Castiel, the three of them found (with Gabriel in tow), that there were what seemed like marks of trudging across the floor of the hallway to the back door, that left ash or burns or soot, along with what seemed like scuff marks of shoes, part of the struggle. As they made their way out, out the back door and into the back yard, they came across what was a circular and slightly marked burn in the grass.

Castiel was still confused, but he was slowly gathering something…as if he was considering something. Snow flecks started to fall as the four of them stood outside, and Castiel looked to the skies, as if that was part of his consideration, too.

“…Anything, Cas?” Dean asked.

“I’m…not entirely sure yet… I need to think.” Castiel told him.

Dean sighed but nodded. “Alright, Sammy…lets get out your laptop. We’re hunkering down here. No point in wasting time and money finding a motel and getting a room, better to just stay here. And hey, candy man?” Dean turned on Gabriel then. “Mind killing the lights now? Would like not to attract any more attention, and we have the fire now.” He spoke as if that should be obvious.

Gabriel just huffed a laugh. “Of course, your highness.” He clapped his hands together, bowing, and the lights went out as they headed back inside together.

 

 

Sam was busy looking at so many sources of lore, and wiccan studies, and paganism, as Dean was flipping through his father’s journal, and a few other notable, useful books they’d inherited from baby and tended to take with them everywhere now, too.

Castiel was looking through a book, himself, whilst Gabriel lay relaxed on the ritual cloth marked up with a pentacle, having made sure to lay himself on it where he fit perfectly into its shape. Dean would sneer any time he tried to suggest anything, but Gabriel wasn’t going anywhere, so the next best thing was to just lie around. Whistling Christmas songs, too.

Which was grating on Dean’s nerves, but he was trying to stay focused.

 

Eventually, Sam sighed, leaning back against the wall. “…I may…have found possible leads? I have a guess of something specific, but I’m not entirely sure.” He stated, looking confused.

“Yeah, what?” Dean asked, looking up from the book like he was thankful.

“Well…I mean, there’s these things called pagan demons. They’re not ACTUAL demons, more like much weaker demi-gods. There’s many, in different regions with different MO’s and wants and weaknesses and drives, but they’re weaker than pagan gods. Still a bitch to deal with, though. There’s only one or two that tend to hunt their victims around this time, though…in the winter months…” Sam explained, and suddenly the music stopped as Gabriel’s hummed version of ‘Santa Clause is coming to town’ was cut short.

“FINALLY.”

Dean looked to Gabriel. “….What? What, finally?”

“Finally one of you caught on. Knew it’d be you, of course, Sammy.” Gabriel winked Sam’s way, which made Sam fight a smirk, looking awkward for a second as he tried to keep his lips in a thin line. But Gabriel looked between them all. “I’ve known what we were dealing with since you guys go the papers from the precinct.”

“Oh…oh really?” Dean asked with sarcastic amusement and interest. “Really? And….what, you just thought it’d be fun to NOT tell us?”

Gabriel looked Dean dead in the eyes, raising a brow. “Because, big boy. If I told you right off the bat, you would’ve been too stubborn and mad to listen to me, much less believe me. You only accept my presence right now because kids’ lives are on the line, and you know you don’t have the power to get rid of me. At least, not in a way that wouldn’t get rid of Castiel, too, so.” Gabriel shrugged. “Now….you can accept the fact that I’ve been a small part of your family’s life for the past few months, and at least tolerate me long enough to finish this hunt, or you can waste everyone’s time bitching at me. What’s your choice?”

“Bitching at you sounds real fucking tempting right now.” Dean automatically remarked.

Sam sighed, and stood up. “Okay, Dean, look-”

“Don’t even get started, Sam.” Dean tried to shut him down, but Sam moved to stand in front of him.

“No, I will get started. I know how this seems right now, it’s the fucking reason I didn’t say anything sooner, because it would never….not seem like this. Like you probably think your little brother, is banging another untrustworthy being, and you just don’t fucking like it, and you want him gone, and maybe want to beat some sense into me.”

Dean didn’t deny any of it, but he hesitated to confirm it, too, like he didn’t like Sam bringing up the past.

“I was confused when it happened. It was one of those hunts I took by myself, when I was trying to let you and Cas get some time to talk and figure things out…thought it’d happen sooner, but you kept needing time, so I kept going out. Sometimes it was hunts, sometimes it was a movie, sometimes I just fucking drove. But on one of the hunts, I almost got my ass chewed by some lone werewolf with an attitude problem. It was one of those wolves that believed in the Fenris, Loki shit. And were eating half their kills and sacrificing the rest. Gabriel, seeing as how he’s taken on the persona of Loki for…however long now, just happened to want to put an end to the bullshit. Was gonna do it with his usual twist. We crossed each other in dealing with the wolf. Ended up agreeing to do it clean and fast, and deal with the rest from there.” Sam glanced to Gabriel, who was now propped back on his arms, looking up at Sam as he kept on. “From there, we talked about the fact that he was alive…what either of us has been doing with…our problems with each other. I was half trying to avoid going home just in case, but I mean…I needed to know, I couldn’t just leave, not knowing. And the more we talked, the more I found we had in common, and related.”

Dean rubbed over his face, sighing, but he sat back to listen to the rest, glancing between the two of them, and noticing the admiring look in Gabriel’s face.

“We ran across each other a few more times after that, because I…let him go. Didn’t see a point outing his existence, or stopping him…and things just happened, Dean. The more we interacted, the more I felt like there was something good there. No, I never really found myself considering it much before.”

“Much?” Dean raised a brow. “That suggest there was SOMETHING before.” That prospect made Dean even more annoyed, it seemed, thinking Sam could feel or think anything for this dick with wings, after everything he did.

Sam rolled his eyes. “Yeah, Dean, much. The only thing I ever thought about him was back before we realized he wasn’t fucking human.”

Dean was confused for a moment, apparently too focused on his annoyance so his mind was slow to rewind back.

Gabriel took the chance, with a smirk on his face, to enlighten him. “Mooseboy here saw that old janitor that helped you guys with that hunt, and found him adorable, and attractively short. That help you out there, bud?”

“…Oh…” Dean looked as if he wished he hadn’t been told there. He shook his head. “Whatever…”

“Anyways…There was nothing but an enemy, or some being that I was annoyed with for feeling the need to teach me some lessons I didn’t want to learn…and yeah, it’s a dick move that I don’t let him live down, but we’ve had dick moves, too, Dean. Just with less juice to them. And despite the years, and the difference in species, he’s dealt with the same damn things. Castiel isn’t the only human angel, and he’s not the only one worthy respect and trust.” Sam remarked, standing firm on his words as his speech came to its end.

Dean was stubborn as hell of course, and looked between the two of them, annoyed, before glancing back to Castiel. “…And you said you knew he was alive? And you never said anything?”

Castiel stepped forward and nodded. “I did, Dean. I felt traces of him, off and on…noticed things in news reports. One evening, I even tried to go out looking for him. All I found was him, living as normal as he was able, and apart from causing bad luck as far as a car getting nick in the pain, or an asshole getting a puddle splashed on him by a passing vehicle, he wasn’t causing any harm. He’s just been trying to live. Dean, I’ve dealt with my kin being cruel, being evil, betraying me, wanting to kill me…. Gabriel has dealt with the same, while having been close the Michael and Lucifer both…wanting to stop the hell brewing between them, and then being unable to…he just left. He’s not like the others. He needs to learn better control, and respect, “ Castiel retorted towards his brother, and Gabriel gave him a ‘what?’ look, but Castiel turned his gaze back to Dean, “but he wasn’t causing any harm, nor has he yet over the past few months….I had assumed something about Sam, as I noticed traces, but I didn’t know about how close they were…”

Dean put the books aside and stood, shaking his head. “Look, this is a fucking lot to take in. And you both lied to me.” Dean remarked, looking from his brother to Castiel, who both sighed. “I don’t care the reason, you lied. But…what the fuck ever. This is a job. And I’m choosing to tolerate, for now. But once we save those kids?” Dean looked to Gabriel. “The toleration is over, and we’re dealing with this.”

Gabriel raised his brow, looking as if he were going to question or tease. Instead he just sighed and nodded. “Alright then. Now…back to what we’re dealing with?”

Dean huffed but nodded. “Yeah. So what the hell are we dealing with?”

“Krampus.” Gabriel stated automatically.

Dean looked blank again, before asking, “Come again?”

“Uh, Krampus. That was one of the two creatures… We thought it was a god before, that time we thought he was killing people, but it turned out to the couple?” Sam reminded his brother. “There’s more to him than I looked into, apparently. Krampus is a pagan demon.”

Gabriel nodded. “Now whether you can find it in your lore books or sites, I’ll give the low down now. This asshole MAY take a normal kid or two, MAYBE, if he’s desperate. But part of his job back in the day, was to punish witches that certain covens in power back then felt weren’t practicing the right magic, or worshiping all the right deities.  After the years, he stopped following their guidance, especially because it was petty, that it wasn’t as cruel as they wanted it to be. They weren’t being bad enough. Then he went through a phase of killing children that practiced at all. That’s why there were a few dry spells in the history of witches—they weren’t able to practice a lot in their younger years. He’s gone in and out of hibernation, and seems to have a different test every time.”

“Taste? What does he eat? That kid he killed wasn’t…missing anything.” Dean remarked.

“He was dehydrated.” Gabriel reminded, and Dean shrugged like ‘yeah so’. “Krampus is a sort of fire based pagan demon. Some pyrokinesis, gets energy from fire. He used that power against the kid. And being a fire demon, water isn’t really a part of his makeup. But he does crave it. Specifically, the sweat and tears of his victims, filled with fear and despair and hopelessness. The legends come because he hunts in the winter months, and would usually punish children that, without the true context of what they were (witches), everyone believed these children were just bad or naughty. And he’d steal them away. Why anyone thought he was related to Saint Nick, I’ll never know—must’ve been some religious assholes getting a bit too drunk one night after actually seeing the thing.” He waved the thought away. “Anyways. He burns his victims, drains them of half their body of water. He used to stuff coal down their mouths, but now he just seems to use them as part of his weapons, who knows. He’s weird, tries to be creative every time he wakes. Ironic, though. The way he finishes them off is the way to kill him.”

“The birch wood stake?” Sam questioned, and Gabriel nodded.

“Yup. Thought it would throw people off. But you’ve gotta prepare them right. Drench it in goats blood at the tip, and there’s a few carving’s we’ll have to burn around them, to actually make them deadly. Aim for the heart—back or front, doesn’t matter, so long as it reaches the heart. Got it?” Gabriel told them.

Sam nodded, Dean huffed but nodded with a ‘yeah sure’ kind of noise, and Castiel nodded as well.

“And you’re sure this will work?” Dean questioned, unable to help himself.

“Yeah. I am. But if you wanna use an unprepared stake, or even your gun instead when we find the thing, feel free.” Gabriel retorted.

Dean made a mimicking face, flipped Gabriel off, and then started putting their books away and getting things ready.

 

 

Gabriel and Castiel handled the stakes, making enough for them all to have one each, and Sam and Dean two extra. Dean and Sam made sure they had extra weapons, and tools for distractions, for whenever they found where the thing was located. They’d assessed that it could teleport, but Gabriel and Castiel seemed to both reason it couldn’t go very far. And as it was attacking locals, it had to be settled somewhere local. And so the hunt for its hovel was on.

Gabriel had many theories, but nothing for sure. He could only track so much about the monster, and seemed to know more history and habits, than anything current. Though, whether Dean would admit it at all, all the information had been useful. They knew better what it’s habits would be, how long the children had—if they were defiant, they may risk angering Krampus, but…they could also extend their longevity…they had until they ran dry on tears and sweat full of their fear or despair.

As they were driving around, checking out some locals who seemed to keep an eye on the kids for one reason or another (more out of judgment), to see if any of them had seen anything promising, Dean couldn’t help but ask Gabriel (who was now sitting in the car), “So…this whole thing with tasty sweat and tears… Does this thing have a salt deficiency? Or is it the fear and despair that just….gives him that energy boost he needs, huh?”

Gabriel shot him a look into the mirror, before responding. “He likes the taste. Simple as that. It’s like wraiths, with brains. There’s something about it that they can only get from humans, and they just happen to taste and get something from that part of a human that only their species can.”

“Was wondering also… You seem to know a lot—you ever get to know this Krampus, huh? Ever been buddies?” Dean questioned.

“Dean…” Sam warned.

“Nah, it’s fine, Sam. It’s understandable. Nah, not really Dean. Just, being an ARCHANGEL, I still hold some decent knowledge about the creatures, and animals, and dominate species, and MONSTERS that my father created. And once I decided to take up residence down on earth, I did pass a few creatures and monsters and demi-gods, out of curiosity and as part of my witness protection efforts. So, I’ve gathered a LOT of knowledge about most every creature on the face of this earth.” Gabriel told him.

Dean seemed…well, not SATISFIED with that answer, because he was obviously trying to be a dick to the dick he was still struggle to accept was any part of his life. But, he seemed to decide that there was no point questioning him further. At least not right now…or at least not over this. He still didn’t like what was going on between Sam and Gabriel, still questioned to what degree it was—Sam was defensive, Gabriel looked at Sam way to fondly, they were obviously a thing and had been sneaking around just like Sam did with Ruby. And sure, apart from killing him a hundred plus times, Gabriel had never TECHNICALLY been after them for malicious reasons. But could this guy seriously even really care about his brother? Dean wasn’t going to stand by and wonder and worry, that was for sure.

“Dean, stop here.” Castiel remarked suddenly, and Dean pulled to a stop by the curb, slipping out of his thoughts and back into his surroundings to take in what Castiel had made him stop for.

They’d stopped outside an abandoned shack. It seemed as if it was once attached to a bigger home, but the building had either been ruined by bad weather and fallen trees, or torn down. But the area was covered with snow that had apparently picked up a great deal in this little area. It didn’t seem like much in the way of ‘secret pagan demon sauna hovel’, but that didn’t mean anything.

“What is it, Cas? Did you see something?” Dean questioned.

Castiel shook his head. “No…sensed…”

“Me too… There is something in that direction…I recognize it a little…but Cas, you’ve never met that demon…” Gabriel remarked, confused.

Castiel shook his head. “I wasn’t sensing Krampus… One of the kids. They were…praying…”

“…You still hear prayers…?” Dean asked, confused.

Castiel looked to Dean and nodded. “I always feel…longings for divine help or guidance, or longing aimed specifically for something someone needs from me… One of those kids…they know about angels…they’re desperate, and praying she and her friends will be saved… She…seems to be saying she knows most angels are selfish, and cruel…and wouldn’t care for a nasty witch, but she knows there’s good ones… She’s begging for help.” Castiel tore out of the back seat, and the other three followed after him, Dean hurrying to Castiel’s side and grabbing his arm to stop him.

“Hey, hey—we’ll get to them, Cas, but we can’t just go barging in!” he warned, reminding the angel.

“Dean, she’s TERRIFIED!” Castiel urged. Obviously, they all realized that could very likely mean she would be next.

Dean sighed and nodded. “Okay…okay, I get it, but we need to do this smart. We go busting in, he might kill her, and half the rest of the kids before we get to him. Okay?”

Castiel looked like he was tempted to bust in there, but he sighed and just waited, nodding slowly. “Fine…”

Dean relaxed, and the four of them gathered together. All annoyances and grudges were out the window, and the elder Winchester was in hunting mode—he was well-trained, well-seasoned, and knew how to go about this. “Okay…whether this guy knows he’s got hunters on him or not, doesn’t matter. We’ll have to go in as if he could be expecting us. And we’ve got to be ready for anything. Gabriel…?” he sighed.

Gabriel straightened up.

“You know most about this thing; what’s his powers, and other weaknesses? What should we look out for, and what can slow him down?”

“Well,” Gabriel began, “he’s gonna be slowed down just a little by some injuries, but give him time and he’ll heal. Best bet is, if we’re trying to slow him down, go for his legs. Those weird, hairy, hooved things can give damn strong kicks, but they can be weak too—get him right in the back of the knee, or just shoot them up with bullets. He’s weak to cold, too, but all I can really do is play a little flash freezing magic on him before he gets too pissed and overheated. Should be able to handle him in hand to hand combat.”

“What could he do to you?” Sam questioned, sounding concerned.

“Well, nothing I can’t heal from. He might knock me around a bit, and I can’t really do more than incapacitate him (even if a pretzeled the son of a bitch, he very well would probably just hibernate it off and just come back years later). But he can’t hurt me. Just burn me. He could really hurt you two, though. He’ll pack a hell of a punch, and if he tries, his burning touch is a son of a bitch itself.” He warned Sam and Dean. “His greatest power is his influence over fire and his strength. Plus those horns might be a bit stabby, but they’re not as big as people depict them, so don’t worry.”

Dean scoffed. “I worry about anything stabby.”

Gabriel shrugged. “Well, his battle tactics are just…head on. If he notices others, he might try to use some pyro shit to set stuff on fire. He has SOME power to throw fire balls, but think of him as a mini-boss with that power. Just gotta wear that down and he’ll lose that energy, because he’s using his own personal heat.”

Dean nodded intently to that explanation. “Alright….Alright, okay, so… This is how we’ll do it. We’ll need a distracting, AND we’ll need decoys. Our main focus is getting those kids away from the bastard. Gabriel, you’ll do…something, something to get his attention and confuse him, as only YOU can do.”

Gabriel smirked a little, bowing his head proudly.

“Me and Sam will be extra decoys, trying to find the kids but if gets on our tails, we’ll lead him away and do what we can. Cas?” Dean turned to the angel. “Need you to go invisible. You follow whichever one of us gets closest to the kid, or you go ahead of us, whatever you have to do. YOU get the kids out—you’re the one who can hear the girl, just follow her, and zap them out of there.”

Castiel nodded in understanding, but then his brows furrowed. “What about after…?”

Dean sighed, trying not to smirk. He could tell that was Castiel protective ‘I should be in there with you’ habit sparking up. They both shared it, actually. “We’ll see. By the time you get all the kids out, we may have handled the thing. But this evil Christmas goat bastard can transport, so the kids will need protection. I trust you the most with that.”

Castiel made a look, but nodded, resigning to his role, and looking determined.

“What about me, in this ‘after’ scenario?” Gabriel challenged.

“Be your flashy self and help distract goat boy while we try and stab him, that sound easy enough?” Dean raised a brow at him.

Gabriel gave him a look, because of the ‘easy’ part, but he nodded. “Just make sure you stick that shit right.”

Sam and Castiel both sighed and went to get the bags, as it seemed the older hunter and the archangel were both seeing who would crack first over the impending crude joke.

 

 

It happened to be Dean, of course, and so they marched on to do their jobs. Castiel had both an angel blade, and a stake ready, stowed in his trench coat, before standing behind Dean, and vanishing. Gabriel still knew where he was, of course, and Dean could still sense him. Gabriel marched forth first, taking to lead to get a sense for things, and to figure how he was going to start his little show, Sam and Dean tailing behind him, both hunters wielding two stakes and Gabriel wielding one and his own angel blade. The Winchesters carried a bag, ready to use whatever they had to.

Gabriel made his way into the shack, which happened to be bigger on the inside, most so because it had a whole on the ground that revealed a secret basement that must’ve been attached to the home. “It’s got two levels, I think… We should head in and go from there.” He advised.

Dean nodded, seeming to agree. Gabriel climbed down first, the others following. And as Gabriel went off one way, Dean felt a tug on his jacket in the other direction, and Castiel’s formless mutter of, “She’s this way…”

Sam seemed to hesitate, looking after Gabriel’s trail as he went down another dirty hall, but Dean nudged him and he moved along. They turned a corner, just as what sounded like a mix of a rave party and a Casa Erotica porno started off in the other direction, loud and clear.

“…Well he definitely knows how to distract.” Dean whispered and heard Sam scoff. But it was true, as deep below some strange growling and stomping was heard, and some accented question of ‘what the hell’ as moans elicited through the basement.

“They’re on the bottom level…but back the way he stormed… We’ll have to go down and then make our way down…” Castiel remarked.

Dean sighed but nodded, leading the way with a flash light, as there were only scattering torches in the floor, not the best lighting. They found a short line of stairs and made their way down, Dean jumping half of them, Sam just taking a big step.

“Alright…” Dean slipped out one of his stakes. He looked to Sam. “We should be looked, but keep an ear out. If that bastard comes back, he book it, try and draw him if we can.” He took out his gun, wielding his flashlight in the other hand with the stake.

“That’s if he even comes back this way. Gabriel might have him nice and distracted.” Sam reminded Dean, as they heard an obnoxiously loud woman say some greeting along the lines of ‘Well hey there, big guy, you lookin’ hot tonight’.

Dean looked back to Sam. “…And this is the angel you’re banging.”

“Not just banging, but yes. Yes it is.” Sam said rather proudly.

“You know, that angels brother is still present.” Castiel retorted.

“Now you know how I feel, Cas.” Sam retorted right back.

 

They were working around a corner just after Sam’s mutter, when the music in the distance weakened, and a voice sounded as if it were on a non-present intercom, “It would HELP if you guys would SHUT UP.” Followed by stomping that made them realize, Krampus was coming back their way.

“Shit.” Dean muttered. “Cas, go!” he urged in a whisper, as he went after the impending march. Sam followed, but then went down a different hall, calling crazy stuff like, “We’re taking you down, you ashy son of a bitch!!”

Castiel didn’t like this, but he focused on the frightful longing for help that he felt, drawing him down a different hall, a shorter one, whose path became slightly steep as he wandered down it. He couldn’t worry for the sounds of Dean yelling for attention, or Sam grunting in discomfort, or even the roar of that pagan demon. He had to get these children.

He finally made it down, and made himself known. There was fire all around the room, the children sitting on bed padding that looked like sponges, all of them soaked as they kids were bound. Castiel found the girl, who trembled in fear and worry, but looked to him with confusion, and a flicker of hope. Castiel took out the stake and the blade from his coat, taking it off and patting down the fire that parted him from here and he carefully pulled her close, sitting her up and looking her over. She had a few burns, looked very sweaty and tired, but she was shaking despite the heat.

He swallowed. “I’m so sorry this happen to you…all of you. But I heard you..” he told her, taking some old, nasty cloth away from her mouth that had bound her, and she sobbed. “What’s your name?” he asked softly, trying to calm here as she was on the verge of a break down.

But she seemed to be trying to calm herself. “I-I…I’m…my names Diana…They call me Dee. I…you heard me…? What do you…you heard…?” she sniffled, seeming to try very hard to keep her emotions at bay.

Castiel nodded again. “…I’m an angel, but I’m not like the ones you’ve heard, that…that only want control of humans, or look down on them… Do you know the Winchester’s?”

She seemed a little fearful, but nodded. “…Hunters…”

Castiel nodded, working on the ropes that bound her arms, her wrists, and her legs at he spoke. “They here to help you. I know, hunters don’t take kindly to witches…most don’t understand, but they came to help you. They know who you are, what you are, and they still came to save you. You’re going to be alright.” He reassured her, trying to mend that despair, that depleting self-value, by telling her that HUNTERS wanted her, and her friends, safe.

“…That means you’re that angel…the renegade those stuffy assholes complain about… I…I hoped…” Dee sniffed, and Castiel could feel that her longing for aid had been, specifically, for him.

He wasn’t sure what to feel about that, but he gave her a reassuring smile, and then helped her up. “I’m getting you all out of here. Be ready…I can transport you all. It will feel weird, but we’ll get far away, until this thing is killed.”

Dee just nodded, and as she trembled, rubbing her wrists, she looked to the other four kids, most younger than her accept one, that looked fifteen, and she helped Castiel get the fire out and get them free.

 

 

Up above, Dean found himself being thrown across a room, hitting and break half a piano. He huffed, the air having left him, and struggled to get back on his feet. He still had the stake gripped tight, but he was hurting all over. “Son…of a…bitch…” He groaned, looking up as Sam was threatening it with his own stake.

“You won’t kill me…” Krampus grumbled with a strange accent, looking like a very grizzly, tall (taller than Sam) man, with hairy legs and hooves. Plus horns, that were, yes, small, but still stabby. Dean had already been head-butted in the chest by this beast, and he felt his side bleeding.

Gabriel popped in (as he had just started popping in and out), and faced down the creature. “Well we’ll just have to see about that, won’t we?” he questioned, and a glowing, golden light seemed to build behind the short angel, the shadow of multiple wings accented by the glow, and it made Sam and Dean both feel small, staring at it.

Krampus backed up, only for a moment, before growling. “You angels had your time… I fear NOTHING anymore!”

“Not my fault, dumbass.” Gabriel shrugged, the light vanishing, and Sam went at him then, aiming to pierce it in the back with his stake, but he was knock aside, the stake falling beside the muster. Gabriel cursed, glaring Krampus down as Sam hit a far wall.

Dean took a shot for his lips, emptying his clip into the back of both legs, and making Krampus cry out in pain as he fell to his knees, and all the flames in the building seemed to build up stronger.

 

 

Castiel had unbound and retrieved all the children, and only just got them outside by the impala and off further when they heard the roar of pain, and saw the flames in the distance. The kids whimpered and moved faster. Castiel hesitated, but sighed, gripping his blade and stake, and hurrying off with the kids.

 

 

Krampus launched a fireball at Dean, which he narrowly avoided by rolling away, but the room was getting really hot, and hard to handle.

“Kinda stupid fighting on his turf huh?!” he remarked to the other two, realizing the foolishness.

“He just needs to chill is all.” Gabriel remarked, and he magicked some tool that exploded on impact with Krampus, chill air rushing from the explosion, some of the flames dying down, and Krampus was shivering, his ashy, reddened skin seeming to be chilled and frosted over for a moment.

Dean and Sam regrouped, Sam taking out his other stake, but neither of them moved, as Krampus was growling and shaking and looking on the verge of rage as he shivered. Gabriel stood toe to toe with him, though, and went for a punch to his jaw, that nearly knocked the demon off his feet. Dean made a noise of surprise, but Sam couldn’t stop staring, concerned.

Gabriel went for a kick then, knocking the demon down, but as Krampus moved to his hands and knees, growling, he pounded on the ground, fire sparking across it, some things catching fire, but most just smoldering. Gabriel stood his ground though, looking quite menacing with his amber glare—size was no factor here.

Dean and Sam seemed to be circling, as Krampus was occupied, trying to find different angles without alerting the monster. And then Gabriel and the demon were engaged again, punches and hits being thrown, and Gabriel seemed to have the upper hand, knocking Krampus back more than Krampus knocked him. But in a moment of anger over literally being bitch slapped by the angel, he roared and took Gabriel by the throat and lifted him up, hands letting off smoke as they seemed to be burning Gabriel’s skin around his neck, making the angel struggle and complain.

“Stop, NO!!” Sam cried out, taking out his gun and firing off at Krampus’ arm. The monster tossed Gabriel aside, looking between them, and he snarled…almost seemed to smile.

Gabriel lie on the ground, rubbing his already healing throat, and Sam looked back to the smiling beast, getting ready to fire off again, but a fireball to the hand stopped him and he winced. And then suddenly, before he could do anything about it, he saw his second stake he’d lost earlier hurtling straight for his chest.

“SAMMY!!” was all he heard from Dean, nothing else.

Sam’s heart pounded and when it skipped a painful beat, he swore he was dead…but…usually death was more painful. He’d experienced it enough to know that. But…there was nothing. He opened his eyes, having shut them, only to find….a fist, gripping the stake firmly, just in time to see that fist crush it in two, and he realized Gabriel had zapped in front of him to stop it. “G-Gabe…”

“Bad move, asshole.” Gabriel snarled, and zapped away, only to appear in front of him to his side, and he gave a roundhouse kick to his chest, knocking him into unstable flooring, where he was stuck long enough for Gabriel to come over, press his foot to his throat, and Dean came over, twirling his stake.

“REALLY bad fucking move… Merry Christmas, filthy animal..!” with that, Dean drove the steak into its chest, deep, piercing the heart. Krampus roared, the roar, climbing in pitch, becoming unnatural, as a heat was burning off of him, consuming him.

“Yeah, think it’s best we ditch this place, big boy.” Gabriel muttered, grabbing Dean’s jacket and dragging him, the two racing to Sam, Gabriel taking his hand, and zapping the three of them out of there back to the Impala, just in time for them to catch their breath, and for Gabriel to look to Dean to question him saying, “Did you really pull Home Alone on that assh-”

The building exploded into flames behind them, and they washed the wood and remains fall, flaming, into the snow, fire billowing but likely to not go anywhere, and eventually die out. Catching their breath, and looking relieved and pleased, Dean smiled and turned to Gabriel, huffing.

“Yeah. I sure did.”

 

 

After getting their things together and stowed back in the car, and after calling Castiel to see where he’d gotten the kids to, the rest of the job consisted of finding somewhere for the kids to go, and coming up with a bullshit story for Sam to go in and share with the cops at the precinct. The last part was easy enough, but finding a place for the kids was hard. They had to completely pick up and leave their town behind. But in the end, none of them seemed to mind, simply because their lives so far there were judged, or…just not the best.

But Gabriel and Sam had located a sort of home for lost kids, that held a few kids recovering from monster situations, like a young man and girl turned back from being turned vampire, and so on, so they would be alright there, for the time being. And Sam left one of their cards with Dee, just in case. And Castiel assured her, he was always a prayer away. It was the best that they could do.

Then, it was the ride back…in which Castiel sat up front, unable to decide on a station so Dean made him turn it down lower as he tried to pick, so there wasn’t blaring, always changing noise. Sam was in the back with Gabriel, the former sleeping and the latter looking over him now and again.

Dean couldn’t help but notice, of course, and finally had to comment. “….You saved Sammy back there.”

Gabriel looked to Dean, and then back to Sam. “Yeah, I know.”

“…” Dean sighed, but cleared his throat. “…That was a big thing.”

Castiel glanced between the two, but most acted like he was focused on the radio as Gabriel spoke.

“I know that, too. But I’ve done that a few times that you haven’t known of, so don’t think that it was for you.” Gabriel retorted somewhat sarcastically.

Dean gripped the wheel. “Look… I’m trying to say thank you here.”

Gabriel laughed. “You’re doing a GREAT job.”

“Yeah jackass, well, it’s kinda hard, with the history.”

“You think it’s easy for me either? Try BEING the asshole who killed your boyfriends brother over and over because you thought, back then, it was funny but pertinent and having to live with that.” Gabriel challenged. “Among a million other things.”

“…I…broke Sam. Once. Kind of twice, but…the first was on accident. The second was…on purpose…” Castiel spoke up then, and Gabriel and Dean both shot him a look. They were obviously looking at him as if to say ‘Why are you saying this?’. Castiel just sat up straighter. “…We all make mistakes… We all have horrible, desperate, and stupid moments. And…we’ve all grown, over the years… I feel like, between all of us, that should be something to be considered.”

Dean sighed, rolling his shoulders, but his grip on the steering wheel just faintly relaxed. “Thank you, Gabriel… For saving Sam…and…for….helping on the hunt, we…wouldn’t have done it as quickly without you.”

Gabriel laughed, but didn’t complain with Dean’s statement. He just sat back, considering him for a moment. “You’re welcome… But…question is…are you still just tolerating…?”

“…Meaning?” Dean asked, but from his tone, he must’ve already known.

“Meaning are you going to whine over the fact that I’m seeing your brother, and in doing so, a small part of your life, or can you accept that?” Gabriel asked bluntly.

Dean sounded like he grumbled, but he sighed, shaking his head. “….As long as Sam wants you around, I’ll accept it…. But the moment you hurt by brother-”

“Better hide the angel blades?” Gabriel joked.

Dean actually laughed. “Pretty much.”

“Gotcha, cowboy.”

Dean couldn’t help but smirk a little bit at that, sitting up straighter.

He didn’t hear Sam snicker to himself in the back.

 

 

They made it home by nightfall, and after picking up some simple Mexican food, they all seemed to agree it was eat and sleep time. They made sure everything was put away, and locked up, and said their good nights, seeming to opt for eating in the separate Winchester rooms (Dean was still a little stuffy over the fact that Sam and Gabriel were going to be alone together, that Gabriel was even here, but he was trying to let go, especially seeing his few attempts at decorating for the holidays, reminding him they had a lot to do, and he just wanted to have a good time, with good energy).

His last words before slumber was something to Cas like, “We got a lot to do, and still need your ass up on that tree…”

Castiel scoffed, but settled in to sleep as well, or at least rest as Dean was well aware he didn’t often sleep like him. Half the time, he just watched over.

And Gabriel seemed to do the same for Sam, mostly. Just savoring the fact that, instead of sneaking around, hanging out on hunts, having secret days, and a few nights in hotels, he and Sam were actually together…in a more stable, concrete way. The archangel may have spent half his life trying NOT to be serious, but almost losing your life changes things for you. And finding Sam again changed things further like he hadn’t expected. He accepted his new path in life, and didn’t plan on losing track this time.

 

 

When morning came, they all seemed to have forgotten it was Christmas Eve. All but one. Dean woke and had to be reminded by his phone alarm, which he’d set, to get things done today, so they could just enjoy the night, the early morning, and Christmas day itself in true holiday fashion. Castiel hadn’t really kept it in mind after the hunt, and was reminded in Dean waking him.

Sam hadn’t considered it either, worn out after the hunt, after that monster.

But when the whole bunker was suddenly bustling with Christmas music, the younger Winchester definitely remember, and woke, wandering around the bunker. In wandering, he actually remember some plans he’d gone over with Gabriel before they started the hunt. He’d forgot about it, and found himself smiling as he walked down the halls, to the war room and the library, to the small entertainment area they’d set up with a TV.

The whole of the bunker was extremely decked out in various holiday decorations, from streamers, in greens and reds and golds, to baubles, to mistletoe, wreaths on every door and a few randomly thrown about, tables and chairs covers in clothe to dress it all up, those weird Christmas time plants around the room too. There was various small, fake, plastic, glass, papers trees all around, and then a box set with more decorations than they’d originally gathered, set around the actual Christmas tree, with officially and unofficially wrapped presents under it, too. Even small, individual dolls, ready to be made up to look the four of them, the only details already present were circles the color of their eyes, and the hair.

Sam laughed, looking around, and soon found Dean stumbling in, looking like… Well, a kid at Christmas. Castiel stumbled in groggily after him, looking around at the Christmas lights streaming from the ceiling to drape masterfully in certain areas.

“Holy SHIT this is awesome!” Dean muttered, turning around, once, twice, three times. He was about to turn another before Castiel stopped him. “What…who the hell…how?!”

“Well, my only part in this was buying stuff to fix Christmas dinner today because I knew you’d decide to cook yourself.” Sam stated to Dean, rubbing his eyes and brushing his hair out of his face, smiling.

Dean was surprised, but grinning. “Seriously…but…Oh…”

Sam almost expected Dean to be disappointed as it set in, who did this. But instead, Dean seemed to take a moment, before laughing and shaking his head.

“Damn… He did good. Where is the feathery bastard?”

“HOHOHO.”

Gabriel wandered out of the hallway, dressed in some stupid Santa costume, and Sam shook his head.

Dean snorted, keeling over laughing and Castiel shook his head, too, chuckling at the combined sight.

Gabriel snapped his fingers and the get up vanished as he walked over to Sam. “Yeah, if you’re gonna look sour like that, then we sadly ain’t getting a Santa.” He went and wrapped and arm around Sam’s waist.

Sam huffed a laugh, shaking his head. “Yeah, sorry. Half the cuteness is in the face, and a beard will hide it all.”

Gabriel wiggled his eyebrows and Sam laughed more, Dean finally recovering then.

“A-alright…so…decorations done… Me and Cas…are going to work on dinner for tonight, and tomorrow…. Gabriel, damn good job…” he huffed, still catching his breath a bit.

“Does this mean I can be on top of the tree, did I earn it?” Gabriel asked.

“Yes.” Castiel said quickly.

“No.” Dean corrected. “Castiel get’s top, it’s decided.”

“I bet he does.” Gabriel muttered, and Sam said something along the lines of ‘oh jesus’, but let it go.

“Well…can’t we all be a part of it?” Gabriel offered, and Dean made a face.

“How would we all be a part of it?” he questioned, but Gabriel got a giddy look.

“Oh, I got an idea. Let’s just get to work. You guys get the food going, Sam and me will pick a few movies and make sure things are set up. We’ll work on the mini selves after.” He stated.

“…Wait, how’d you even know about those?” Dean stated, Castiel already trying to drag him to the kitchen, muttering something about coffee.

“Sam texted me before you guys went on the hunt. Complaining about you two being domestic over tree toppers.” Gabriel shrugged, Sam looked guilty, and Dean glared, but then, they were off to their separate tasks.

 

 

When the food was prepared for tomorrow, and Chinese ordered for the night, the boys had regrouped and set to work on their mini selves (or, ironically, working on mini significant others), then a few extra homemade ornaments (mostly Dean making extra), and then it was on to decorating the tree. Dean and Sam took over most of it, Gabriel and Castiel only helping a little, but it was obvious that this was bigger for the two hunters. When it came to the tree topper, Cas WAS put on top. But then to Gabriel’s suggest, Dean’s was set to look like he was attached to Castiel, slinging below him, and the Sam attached to Dean, slinging below him, and then finally Gabriel attached below him.

When Dean and Gabriel made the comparison of it mimicking Dean being dragged from hell, Castiel questioned if that was appropriate, but Dean waved it off. He liked it. Besides. Castiel was on top. So he really liked it.

The tree was wild, and messy, and perfect (Gabriel had used his grace to get the lights on, because Dean decided that was one tradition he could skip), and everyone was satisfied. Once that was done, they grabbed their food once it arrived, and went to spend the rest of the night watching movies.

At least once they could pick. It was an argument over whether they’d watch Home Alone, or Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (Dean and Gabriel being the ones arguing). Sam tried to suggest It’s A Wonderful Life, but neither of them listened, too busy arguing which of their movies were better; actually getting into a serious debate. Sam and Castiel ended up sneaking It’s A Wonderful Life in instead, and watched until the other two took notice, and once that was finished, they decided from there.

It was certain a strange holiday. Not one any of them would’ve expected. Perhaps not how any of them might’ve originally planned or wanted for it to go. But in the end…it was just how it needed to be. They got what they really needed.

They had family…and they were together on Christmas. There really wasn’t anything else they needed.


End file.
